Differential-piston valve and pump.



(.NQ Model.)

Fig.

Patented Sept. !7, IQDI. T. R. BROWNE.

DIFFERENTIAL PIS-TON VALVE AND PUMP. (A pplication filed Feb. 18, 1899.Renewed Feb. 20, 1901.)

5 Sheets-Sheet l.

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Du: NORRIS PEI'IRS 60 PMOTWTMON WASHINGTON, n. c.

Patented Sept. l7, l90l.

T. .R. BBOWNE.

DIFFERENTIAL PISTON VALVE AND PUMP.

(Application filed Feb. 18, 1899. Renewed Feb. 20, 1901.) (No Model.) 5Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 682,599. Panama Sept. I7, 1904. T. a. enowuz.

DIFFERENTIAL PISTON VALVE AND PUMP.

(Application filed Feb. 18, 1899. Renewed Feb. 20, 1901.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3,.

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T. B. BRUWNE.

DIFFERENTIAL PISTON VALVE AND PUMP.

'- (Application filed. Feb. 18, 1899. Renewed Feb. 20, 1901.} (NoModel.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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No. 682,599. Patented Sept. I7, 1901.- T. n. saowue.

DIFFERENTIAL PISTON VALVE AND PUMP.

(Application filed Feb. 16, 1899. Rengwed Feb. 20, 1901.) v (No Model.)5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

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UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS R. BROWNE, or ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DIFFERENTIAL-PISTON VALVE AND PUMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 682,599, datedSeptember 17, 1901. Application filed February 18, 1899. RenewedFebruary 20, 1901. Serial No. 48,202. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS R. BROWNE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Altoona, county of Blair, State of Pennsylva nia, haveinvented certain new and usefulIm provements in Differential-PistonValves and Pumps Actuated Thereby,fully described and represented in thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthe same.

The object of the present invention is to provide a piston-valve adaptedto reciprocate automatically when supplied with steam and to not onlydistribute the steam to the opposite ends of the valve for reciprocatingthe same, but also, if desired, to open and close eX- haust-passagesfrom the ends of the piston to the air, and, further, to open and closeports for conducting live steam to a working chamber, as the cylinder ofa pump, engine, or steam-hammer.

The opposed faces of the piston-valve are formed upon the outer sides oftwo heads connected by a stem, the inner and outer faces of such headsforming differential pistons, so that when steam of the same pressureoperates simultaneously upon the inner and'outer sides of such head themotion of the valve is effected by the excess of pressure upon thelarger piston. The pistons are fitted to'cylindrieal portions of thecasing, which are in connection at their outer ends with twosteamchambers, termed operating chambers herein to distinguish them,respectively, from the live-steam chamber, which supplies steam to thepistons, and the working chamber or chambers, (as the interior of a pumpor engine-cylinder,) within which an intermittent supply of steam may berequired to perform certain work. Each of the operating-chambers isprovided with means whereby a gradual fall in the pressure of itscontained steam isintermittingly effected when out off from thesteam-supply, and the motion of the valve is efiected by the excess ofpressure upon one of its said opposed faces over thatupon the other. Thecylinders and the operating-chambers are conveniently formed inthe'valve-casing with a live-steam chamber, which supplies the valvewith steam and which is located around the stem which connect-s thepistons between two necks fitted to the stem at the inner end walls ofthe cylinders. v The steam is supplied alternately to the cylinders by adistributing channel or port extending through or along thev stem andhaving openings which are brought alternately, by the movement of thevalve, into communication with the two cylinders. A passage ofrestricted dimensions is provided through each of the pistons to conductthe steam to each operating-chamber when the adjacent cylinder issupplied by the distributing-port. When a sufficient fall of pressure isproduced in one of the operating-chambers by condensation or the ventingof the steam, the valve is moved toward such chamber by thesteam-pressure upon its opposite end, and such movement is reversed andrepeated as fast as the pressure in each operating-chamber is reduced toa suitable point.

While my valve may be usefully applied for various purposes, it ischiefly designed for use in a boiler feed water pump,in which the feedwater chamber is alternately filled with water and emptied into theboiler by directing steam intermittingly into such feed water chamber bymeans of the valve. Such pump will maintain a given water-level in theboiler if the steam-pipe for the valve-casing be carried into the boilerto such water-line, the pump-chamber being in all cases arranged abovesuch water-line, so that the water may flow by gravity from the sameinto the boiler when steam is admitted into such pump-chamber.

The construction will be understood by reference to the annexeddrawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal section of thevalve-casing with the valve shown therein at one extreme of itsmovement. Fig. 2 is an end view of the valve in section on line 2 2 inFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the valve havingsupplemental heads upon the ends. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section ofone end of the valve. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the stemof the valve shown Ioo Fig. 8 is a lonof the stem and the exhaust-ports.Fig. 10 is a similar section showing a modification of theoperating-chambers and the valve-stem. Fig. 11 shows a modification ofthe construction shown in Fig. 10 with vent-cocks upon theoperating-chambers. Fig. 12 isasectional elevation showing the valvecombined with a feed-water pump having two water-chambers. Fig. 13 is across-section of the valve at the middle of its length. Fig. 14E is across-section of the pump-chamber on line 1t 14: in Fig. 12. Fig. 15 isa plan of the combined pump and valve-chamber, and Fig. 16 is an endview of the valve-chamber with the adjacent parts of the pump-chamber insection at the center line. Figs. 17 and 18 show two applications of thevalve to steam-engine cylinders.

The general principles upon which my valve is constructed and operatesmay be understood from Fig. 1 of the drawings, which shows avalve-casing formed with cylindrical portions A and A, having alive-steam chamber A located between their inner ends, which are formedby annular necks A The valve has heads 13 B at its opposite ends,connected by a stem B working through the live-steam chamber A andfitted to the necks A The heads 13 and B fit movably in the cylinders,which receive their steam-supply upon the inner sides of such heads.

A and A indicate the operating steamchambers, located in the ends of thecasing and opening upon the opposed outer faces of the heads B and B.

B is a steam-distributing channel disposed in the middle of the stem Bconnecting the heads, and provided with lateral openings 13 and 13,arranged to connect the steam-chamber A with the cylinder A or A inaccordan'ce with the position of the valve.

B and 13 designate holes drilled through the heads B and B, formingpassages for steam from the cylinders to the operatingchambers.

A and A indicate ports leading, respectively, from the cylinders A and Afor connection with working chambers or conduits, (not shown,) but inwhich it is assumed that an intermittent supply of steam is required.These ports are so located as to be closed when either head is againstthe adjacent neck and to be opened when the head is in the oppositeposition.

The valve is shown at the extreme righthand end of its movement with theport A open and the port A closed by the head 13 The passage B isproportioned to connect the live-steam chamber with the cylinder A or Awhen the head is moved almost entirely outward in the said cylinder. Inthe position shown it is obvious that steam will pass from the chamber Athrough the opening B into the distributing-channel B and thence throughthe opening B into the cylinder Ain the space between the head Band theneck A of the cylinder-chamber, whence the steam willjpass through theport A into any chamber or conduit provided in connection therewith. Theaccession of steam to the cylinder also supplies the adjacentoperating-chamber A through the hole or passage B. The opposite sides ofthe head B or '13 form differential pistons, the areaof the outer pistonbeing equal to the end of the head, while the area of the inner pistonis diminished by the sectional area of the stem B When thesteam-pressure is equalized upon opposite sides of the head, the headwill necessarily be moved from the operatingchamber by the excess ofarea upon the outer end of the head. The passage B is for most purposesof restricted size, so that the steam will accumulate pressure graduallyin the chamber A until sufficient pressure is reached to force the valveto the left, (away from the operating-chamber,) which moves the head Binto contact with the neck A As a result of this movement, the flow ofsteam through the steam-port B from the live-steam cham her A to thecylinder A is cut off and also the flow of steam from the cylinder Athrough the port A by the head B, covering said port. When the valve isthus reversed, the head 13 bears the same relation to theoperatingchamber A and the port A as already described in connectionWith the chamber A and port A because the steam passes from thelive-steam chamber A into the cylinder A and thence through the passageB into the operating-chamber and also through the port A into anyworking chamber or duct connected therewith. The same operationtherefore takes place at the left-hand end of the valve as abovedescribed in respect to the right-hand end; but it will be obvious thatthe piston-valve cannot again shift its position toward the right untilthe pressure in the operating -chamber A has materially fallen, and sucha fall of pressure may be provided for in the construction by simplymaking the operating-chambers A and A of suitable dimensions and withexposed walls, so that the steam contained in them will gradually loseheat and pressure. It will thus be understood that the motion of thevalve in the casing is intermittingly restricted, the rapidity of itsaction being effected first by the amount of restriction offered to theflow of the steam through the passages B and B and, second, by theprovision made for the fall of pressure in the operating-chambers A andA when cut off from the live-steam supply.

It will be observed that the entire distribution of the steam from thecentral chamber A to the cylinders A and A and the operatingchamberslocated beyond the heads B B is ef fected wholly by passages formedthrough or along the piston-valve and that no ports or passages arerequired in the casing to connect the central steam-chamber with theoperatingchambers. This makes the construction exceedingly cheap andsimple, as the casing requires only the boring of the cylindricalcavities to fit it for the application of the piston.

In the casings shown in Figs. 1 to 11, inclusive, no access isrepresented to the ends of the casing for boring out the cylinders, asthose figures are diagrammatical in character; but the constructionemployed in practice is shown in Fig. 12,which will be describedhereinafter.

The piston-valve,havin g heads at bothends larger than the intermediatestem, could not be inserted in its place within the casing except one ofthe heads were removable, and a construction for such purpose is shownin Figs. 4 and 8, Fig. 4 showing the one head secured upon the stem by anut and Fig. 8 showing the end of the stem riveted in the head. Thescrewed connection permits the removal of the head with great facilityto repair or ex- I amine the valve.

'(designated 13 and B For some purposes and under some conditions it isadvisable in place of depending altogether upon the condensation ofsteam in the operating-chambers to provide for the escape of steam fromthose chambers, so as to secure a more rapid movement of the valve as,for instance, in supplying steam to the piston of a rock-drill. This maybe done by providing properly restricted exhaust ports, such as is shownat A and A in Fig. 1, said ports being alternately opened after thevalve is moved away from each operating-chamber to vent such chamber.

It will be understood that in valves constructed as in Fig. 1 a certainamount of steam is inclosed in the cylinder A or A after the head B or Bbegins its inward motion in said cylinder, and such steam wouldobviously interfere with the prompt movement of the valve through itsfull stroke except it were vented in some manner, and such venting isefiected through the passage B or B in cases where the cylinders areprovided with exhaust ventports A A In other constructions which Icontemplate this passage would be out off,and even with the provision ofthe passage B or B the confined steam might prevent a rapid movement ofthe valve. To provide for the exhaust of the steam caught in thecylinder where no exhaust is required for the operating-chambers, Iprovide the supplemental heads B and B attached to the outer sides ofthe heads B and B, as shown in Fig. 3,and separated therefrom by annulargrooves or necks, The cylinders are so proportioned that thesupplemental heads move out of the same into the operating chambers andpermit the free flow of steam from the passage B and B into suchchamher; but upon the inward movement of the heads the supplemental headcloses the steamchamber at or shortly before the time when the head B orB opens the exhaust-port A or A In this way the escape of steam from theoperating-chambers is prevented, while at the same time the contents ofthe cylinders and A for supplying working chambers with steam, ports Aand A are shown in Fig. 5 extended directly from the operating-chambersA and A and may be thus arranged where the working chambers areexhausted by condensation or through the operatingchambers. Anothermodification in the arrangement of such ports is shown in Fig. 6, wherethe ports A and A though leading from the cylinders A and A, are placedbeyond the movement of the heads Band B, so

as to receive their steam through the operating-chambers. In thismodification it will be noticed that the ports A and A as the case maybe, are alternately placed by the grooves B and B of the valve incommunication with the exhaust-ports A and A to vent the workingchambers.

In Fig. 6 I have indicated a number of passages B or B formed throughthe heads B and B, but have at the same time provided for a restrictedadmission of steam into the operating-chambers A and A by arrangingsupplemental heads B and B so that they do not pass entirely out of thecylinders A and A, but supply steam to the operatingchambers when intheir outward position through slots B and B extended partly through theedges of the supplemental heads. Such slots open a connection for steambetween the groove B or B into the operating-chambers to supply thelatter with steam, but close such connections as soon as thesupplemental heads are moved into their respective cylinders.

Fig. 9 shows a modified arrangement for the exhaust-passages A and A anda means for exhausting the cylinders A and A.

' In the modification shown in Fig. 5 it will be noticed in the firstplace that the Width of the grooves B and B and the relation of thecylinders A and A to the exhaust-ports A and A are such as to permit ofthe exhaust of steam from the operating-chambers during a period ensuingafter the heads B and B have uncovered the exhaust-ports and before thesupplemental heads B and B have entered the ends of the cylinders A andA, after which the exhaust-ports A and A connect only with the innerends of the cylinders A and A through the passages B and B and,

steam in the inside of the cylinders A and A, consisting of ports A andA opening, as

shown, through the necks A and I form annular grooves, as in dicated atband b around the ports 13 and B of the steam-passage B of such widththat, for instance, assuming the valve to be moving toward the left inFig. 9, the groove 72 will have been moved from the steam-chamber A andin registry with the exhaust-port A before the groove b has been cut offfrom connection with the cylinder A.

In the construction shown in Fig. 10 in place of forming in theconnecting-stem B of the valve the steam-passage B as shown in thepreceding figures, I recess or contract the central part of the stem,forming a shank 5 adapted in each extreme position of the valve to forma passage for steam from the chamher A around the contracted portion ofthe stem into the cylinders A and A alternately, this passage being ofcourse cut off on the reverse movement of the valve. I have alsoindicated in Fig. 10 a passage B formed through the stem B and shank band opening at B and B near the junction of the stem with the pistons 13and B. The purpose of this passage is to permit the exhaust of steamfrom one cylinder into the other. Thus when the valve in Fig. 10 movesto the left it will be obvious that after the full-sized portion 13 ofthe stem has cutoff the connection between the cylinder A and thesteamchamber A the steam remaining in the cylinder A will be enabled topass through the passage 1) into the cylinder A. The passage 13 is in nosense essential to the operation of the shank 17 as exhaust-ports A andA may be used with such a neck as in previously-described constructions.Such exhaust-ports are shown in Fig. 11, and the casing is also providedwith cocks C 0 upon the operating-chambers, by which the fall ofpressure in the chambers may be hastened or delayed in any desireddegree to regulate the speed of the valve. WVith the previousconstructions the speed of the valve would depend upon the proportionsoriginally given to the parts if operated uniformly with steam of thesame pressure, but with such variable outlets from theoperating-chambers the speed of the valve may be varied in a very widerange.

The various modifications illustrated in the figures described are by nomeans exhaustive, but merely indicative of the modifications and changesof construction of which my valve is susceptible without materialdeparture from the principles and leading features of my in vention.

In Figs. 12 to 16, inclusive, I have shown an application of theinvention to a feed-pump of simple and efficient character, whichembodies as a part of'its construction my improved valve. By preferenceI make the pump double-acting and provide that each movement of thevalve shall correspond with the forcing of a quantity of water into theboiler. A convenient construction for this purpose is shown in Fig. 12,in which construction I show two pump-chambers D and D, formed in anintegral casting with the valve-casing, the pump-chambers beingseparated by a steam-chamber D connecting with the steam-supply pipe Awhich is shown here as reaching to the maximum Water-line in the boiler,(indicated at H.) The chamber D connects at top through a furthercontinuation of the conduit A with the steam-chamber A and in thisconstruction a safety-valve E is indicated as situated immediately aboveand operating in connection with the steam-chamber A Theexhaust-passages A and A leading from the cylinders A and A, are shownextended into the safety-valve chamber above the valve where itis inopen communication with the air from the passages shown in the cap E.Where two pump-chambers are used, as in this construction, the obviousadvantage of having a steam-chamber between them will be apparent, as itprevents the water entering one chamber from prematurely condensing thesteam entering the other chamber, while at the same time it imparts heatto the waterin both chambers. It will be noticed that the pump-chambersD D* are connected by ports A and A with the operating-chambers A and Aof the valve-casing. The pump-chambers are also connected through theports A and A with the cylinders A and A when the valve-heads are intheir outer positions in said cylinders; but said ports are entirely outoff by the heads when in their inner position and no exhaust or escapeof steam is permitted from either of the steam-chambers or pump-chambersconnected therewith, the condensation of the steam being in thisconstruction alone relied upon for the operation of the valve. Into eachpu mp-chamber leads a water-supply passage D, which, as indicated inFigs. 15 and 16, is provided with a ball-valve casing D and a non-returnballvalve D D indicating the continuance .of the conduit to a source ofWater supply. Such supply may be under pressure or not; but where it isfurnished by an aqueduct it is preferable to fill a tank from theaqueduct at a suitable height above the pump-chamber, so as to maintaina nearly uniform pressure in the supply-pipe D, and thus secure auniform operation of the pump. The same uniformity is secured if wesupply the water (by the vacuum in the pump-chamber) from a cistern orbank below the pump. From the bottom of the pump-chamber D leads awaterdelivery pipe D which is also provided with a ball-valve casing D,G indicating the ballvalve and D a continuation of the deliverypipe,which should lead to a point in the boiler where the temperature of thewater is low. As shown in Fig. 12, the casting is provided with athreaded section D adapted to screwinto a threaded perforation in theboiler. The pump-chamber from which the water has been discharged andwhen filled with steam acts as an operating-chamber for the steamvalveand materially efiects the period during which the pressure operatesupon the valve to hold it at the end of its stroke.

In Fig. 12 the right-hand chamber D is mp resented with a full supply ofwater and the steam-valve moved to the position for admitting steam ontop of this water, leaving the left-hand chamber D charged with steamand which is in the process of condensing. The pressure of steam uponthe top of the water in the right-hand chamber balances thesteam-pressure which holds the check-valve G upon its seat and permitsthe weight of the water due to its height to open the checkvalve andflow into the boiler, provided the lower end of the passage A is abovethe water-line. Should it be the case before all of the water in thischamberhas been discharged to the boiler that the lower end of thepassage A becomes submerged, the column of water in such chamber wouldbe held in suspension and its outflow arrested because there would be nosupply of steam to take its place within the upper part of the chamber.The movements of the valve thereafter would be more or less irregular,so long as water only could enter the passage A, as the water has noexpansive force or elasticity to operate upon the valve like steam. Suchaction would continue until the lower end of the passage A was exposedby the falling of the water-line, when steam would again find access tothe valve, and the water contained in either of the chambers D intowhich the steam was admitted by the valve would flow freely to theboiler. When the valve is working normally, it will remain in either ofits extreme positions until the condensation of steam in oneoperating-chamber has caused the fall of its pressure and the steam hasaccumulated in the opposite operating-chamber to a higher pressure,whereupon the valve will be shifted first gradually and after thepassage from the steam-chamber A into the adjacent cylinder A or A hasbeen opened rapidly. The steam in the cylinder A is exhausted throughthe port or ports B groove B and port A without venting either theoperating-chamber or the pump-chamber, as

the operating-chamber is cut off by the supplemental head B while thehead B closesj along the reduced shank b Fig. 10) to disthe port A tothe pump-chamber.

The above illustration shows the operation of the valve for supplyingvacuum-chambers alternately with steam; but it is evident that the valvemay be operated in connection with a single pump-chamber D instead ofwith two by providing only one supply-port A or A for delivering thelive steam. The operation of the valve would also be the same if theoutlet of the pump-chamber were connected with the side of thesteam-boiler at the water-line instead of the top of the boiler,

as shown in Fig. 12. The pump-chamber may consist of a plain verticalpipe of any desired height, with the steam-inlet from the valve properlyconnected to its upper end. From this description it will be seen thatthe operation of the pump is independent of its particular construction,although I have claimed such construction herein on account of the greatadvantages secured by its simplicity of orm.

As I have stated in the earlier part of the specification, while myvalve is especially adapted and intended for use in connection withfeed-pumps it is capable for use in many other devices, and in Fig. 17 Ihave illustrated its application to the slide-valve L of a steampump orengine-cylinder, (indicated at 1,) the said valve being connected withthe stem of my peculiar valve in the steam-chamber A and working overports K and K, leading, respectively, to the top and bottom of thesteamcylinder and over an exhaust-port M, which is thus connectedalternately with the ports of the cylinder.

J indicates the piston and J the piston-rod of the steam-cylinder. Itwill be obvious that as my automatic-valve moves backward and forward itwill work the slide-valve L and govern the admission and exhaust ofsteam from the two ends of the cylinder I.

In Fig. 18 I have shown an application of the automatic valve to thealternate opening and closing of ports leading into the opposite ends ofa cylinder I without the intervention of a slide-valve. The valve isrepresented the same as that shown in Fig. 11 and operalso to ven t thevalve-cylinders (when desired) to produce a quicker motion of the valveand to also exhaust the steam from the operating 'or working chamberswhen necessary.- These results are eifected by extending the valvestemthrough a live-steam chamber and forming the distributing-passagethrough or along such stem (as through the port B Fig. 1, or

cured by taking the steam-supply fortny valve from the steam-space ofthe boiler at such water-line.

With the pump construction shown in the drawings it is obvious that thepump-chamber whose outlet connects with the boiler by IIO steam from theboiler is introduced above the Water to discharge it from the chamber,and

the pressure above the water can therefore exert no power to move it;but the pumpehamber must be set above the water-line and the water movedby its gravity.

The principle of the connection of this valve with a pump is merely itsconnection to a chamber into which in the absence of steampressure watercan flow from any convenient source of supply, the valve then supplyinga steam-pressure on top of the water which is equivalent to thatcontained in the boiler. Such regulation is also secured by locating thepump on the side of the boiler, with the top of the water-chamber atabout the highest water-level allowable. It will of course be obviousthat when the water-line in the boiler coincides with the top of thechamber or even before it reaches this point there will not be asufficient difference of level to cause the water to flow into theboiler, and the pump will therefore not discharge water to the boileruntil a sufficient difference is attained to give it that opportunity.By constructing the pump, as shown in Fig. 16, with two waterchamberseach stroke of the valve (or movement in either direction) serves todischarge one chamber to the boiler, and the separation of the chambersby the central steampartition D secures the transmission of the steamfrom the boiler to the piston-valve with the least loss of pressure andprevents such rapid condensation in each chamber (when filled withsteam) that it would reverse the valve before the necessary amount ofsteam had been supplied upon the top of the water in the oppositechamber. The valve may by the action of connected operatingchambers havea movement entirely independent of the water movements in thepumpchambers, and the proportions of the valve as regards length and thediameter of the stem and heads are therefore intended to be such thatthe valve will stand at either end of its stroke a sufficient length oftime to fully discharge one pump-chamber and to fill the adjacentchamber in the case of a double-chambered pump. As the conditions ofsuch boiler feed-pump are liable to vary with different boilers operatedunder various pressures and with the pressure under which the Water issupplied to the pump-chamber, it is obvious that the vent-cocks O and C,placed upon the operating-chambers in Fig. 12, form a very usefuladjunct for such a feed-pump when intended for general use, as the speedof the piston-valve may be varied in any degree by varying the openingof such cocks which affect the rate at which the pres sure is graduallyreduced in such chamber. It will be understood that the capacity ordimensions of the operating-chambers A and A would in each case bevaried or proportioned to suit the conditions under which the valve wasintended to operate with any particular construction.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimedherein is- 1. A valve-casing having operating steamchambers arranged toopen upon opposite faces of a piston-valve and constructed, asspecified, so as to effect a gradual fall in the pressure of steamconfined therein, in combination with a piston-valve working in saidcasing and ports controlled by such valve as described, to connect asource of steamsupply alternately with said steam-chambers,substantially as specified, and so as to alternately charge saidchambers with steam and permit a gradual fall of pressure therein af'ter the valve has moved from its charging position.

2. An automatic steam-valve having heads 13, B, forming two differentialpistons and connected by a stem, and combined with a valve-casing havingcylinders for the pistons, necks, as a fitted to the stem with anintermediate live-steam chamber, operating-chambers in connection withthe outer sides of said heads, and a passage adapted by one movement ofthe valve to supply steam to the differential pistons upon one of theheads, and adapted by the reverse movement of the valve to supply steamto the differential pistons upon the other head.

3. In an automatic steam-valve, a valvecasing having operating-chambers,as A A, at opposite ends, a steam-chamber as A arranged intermediate tothe same, and suitable cylinders formed between the steamchamber andeach of the operating-chambers, in combination with two differentialpistons fitted to such cylinders and connected by a stem, with passagesopened by the movement of the valve for supplying steam alternately tothe smaller areas, and a passage through each of such pistons into theadjacent operating-chamber for alternately transmitting the steam to theouter side of each piston and thereby reversing the valve by thepressure accumulated in the adjacent operating-chamber, substantially asherein set forth.

4. In an automatic steam-valve, a valvecasing having operating-chambersat opposite ends, a live-steam chamber arranged intermediate to thesame, and suitable cylinders formed between the steam-chamber and eachof the operating-chambers, in combination with two heads B, B, formingdifferential pistons fitted to such cylinders and connected bya stem,with passages opened by the movement of the valve to supply steamalternately to the smaller pistons, a port opened when the valve ismoved by pressure upon either of the smaller pistons to admit steam tothe adjacent operating-chamber for reversing the valve, andexhaust-ports, as A, A situated in the cylinders A, A, as described, soas to be closed by the heads 13, B, when in their outer positions, andopened while such heads A a stem-section B fitting and working in thenecks A said stem-section being formed as described to alternately openand close a connection between a source of steam-supply situated betweenthe necks A A and the cylinders A and A, and steam-passages B and Bformed in the heads B, B, whereby steam in the cylinder in which suchhead works is permitted to enter the adjacent operating-chamber,exhaust-ports, as A A situated in the cylindrical sections A, A asdescribed so as to be closed by the heads B, B, when in their outerpositions but opened while said pistons are moving inward and beforethey reach the end of such inward strokes, and supplemental heads, as 13B secured to the outer faces of the heads 13,3,

by narrowed necks as B B and arranged to restrict the connection betweenthe cylindrical sections and the steam-chambers as the heads move inwardand before they open the exhaust-ports A, A

6. The combination, with two working chambers, as D, D*, of avalve-casing having operating steam-chambers arranged to open uponopposite faces of a piston-valve and constructed as specified so as toeffect a gradual fall in the pressure of steam confined therein, andhaving two piston-cylinders with an intermediate live-steam chamber, incombinationv with a piston-valve having heads, as B, B, working in thesaid cylinders, and steam-passages adapted as described to connect thesource of steam-supply alternately with said operating-chambers,substantially as specified, and ports connecting each of the cylindersto one of the working chambers and supplied by the movements of theheads alternately with steam, so as to alternately fill the workingchambers, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with apump-chamber, as D, having admission anddelivery ports, as D, D and non-return valves controlling the passage offluid therethrough, of a piston-Valve casing having. a piston -valveworking automatically therein and having two operating-chambers openingupon opposite faces of the valve, ports in said valve arranged toconnect the said operating-chambers alternately with a source oflive-steam supply in accordance with the position of the valve, andmeans for effecting a gradual fall of the steam-pressure in theoperating-chambers when out 01f from the steam supply, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination with two pump-chainbers, as D, D, each havingadmission and discharge ports, as D, D and non-return valves controllingthe passage of fiuid therethrough, of a live-steam chamber, as Dseparating said chambers, a piston-valve having an intermittentautomaticreciprocation, and steam-passages controlled by said valve as describedand whereby a supply of live steam is alternately admitted to and cutoff from the pump-chambers.

9. In combination with two pump-chambers, as D, D*, each havingadmission and discharge ports, as D, D and non-return valves controllingthe passage of fluid therethrough, a piston-valve casing having twooperating steam-chambers arranged to open upon opposite faces of thevalve working therein, ports arranged to connect the operating-chambersalternately with a source of live-steam supply in accordance with theposition of the valve, means for effecting a gradual fall ofsteam-pressure in the operating-chambers when out off from thesteamsupply, live steam ports leading to each pump-chamber, and apiston-valve automatically working in the valve-chamber aforesaid andarranged as specified to control the ports leading to the steam and pumpchambers.

10. In combination with a boiler, a pumpchamber, as D, having anadmission-port D, a delivery-port D and non-return valves controllingthe passage of fluid through ports D and D a piston-valve having anintermittent automatic reciprocation, and a steam passage from theboiler, as A opening at the water-line of the boiler, and controlled bysaid valve as specified and so that steam is admitted to thepump-chamber in one position of the valve and cut off therefrom in itsalternative position.

11. In combination with a boiler, a pump-' chamber, as D, having anadmission-port D, a delivery-port D opening at the water-line of theboiler, and non-return valves controlling the passage of fluid throughports D and D a casing having cylinders with operating steam-chambersarranged to open upon opposite faces of the valve working therein, portsarranged to connect said operatingchambers alternately with the steamspace of the boiler in accordance with the position of the valve, meansfor effecting a gradual fall in steam-pressure in the operating-chamberswhen out off from the source of supply, and the piston-valve workingautomatically in the valve-cylinders and governing the admission ofsteam to the operating-chambers aforesaid and to the pump-chamber asdescribed.

12. The combination, with a boiler, of a pump-chamber, as D, having awater-admis sion port Dand discharge-port D and nonreturn valvescontrolling the passage of fluid through said ports, a piston-valvehaving an intermittent automatic reciprocation, and a steam-passageleading from the Water-line of the boiler and controlled by said valveas described, and whereby a supply of live steam is alternately admittedto and cut olf from the pump-chamber.

13. An automatic boiler feed-pump, comprising a valve having heads B, Bforming two differential pistons connected by a stem, a valve-casinghaving cylinders for the pistons, necks fitted to the stem with anintermediate live-steam chamber, and operatingchambers in connectionwith the outer sides of said heads, a pump-chamber having admission anddischarge ports, as D, D and non-return valves controlling the passageof fluid therethrough with a supply of Water to the admission-port, anda port opened and closed by one of said heads and connected with suchpump-chamber, whereby a gradual fall of steam-pressure inducedalternately in the operating-chambers serves to reciprocate the valveand produce the alternate flow of the water into and out of the saidWaterchamber.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

THOMAS R. BROWNE.

Witnesses:

H. A. ANDERSON, C. W. ALLEMAN.

